Posted Fri. 17, Jun, 2011
As Director of Operations for Bethel’s College of Professional and Graduate Studies, Matthew Phillips has seen countless lives changed by our educational programs. In fact, Phillips’ own life took a completely different turn with the discovery of Bethel University.
In 2006, the Alabama native was working in Nashville as a trainer for Longhorn Steakhouse. When he applied for a corporate position with the company, Phillips was told he couldn’t be considered for a management position without a college degree.
The Bethel Success Program, with its one-night-a-week format designed for busy professionals, was the perfect solution.
As luck would have it, his first facilitator was Kelly Sanders-Kelley, then Director of Operations for the program. “I mentioned in passing that if anything ever came open in Nashville, that I would love to be considered,” he recalls. True to her word, she invited him to apply as soon as an opening became available. And in May 2007, Phillips was hired as a recruiter for the Success Program.
After earning his bachelor’s degree in Management & Organizational Development, Phillips enrolled in the MBA program. In August 2011 he will graduate with a 4.0 GPA – and some words of advice for new students.
“Succeeding in the program is all about time-management and making the MBA a priority, and not just an option,” he says. “It’s about realizing that having just a bachelor’s degree in today’s business world isn’t enough. Most importantly, it’s about taking control of your life, grabbing the bull by its horns, and gaining respect from your family and peers,” he adds. “Earning my MBA has given me the confidence and knowledge to get what I want and be an extremely marketable professional.”
Having earned promotions within the college several times, it’s clear the sky’s the limit for Phillips. “My plan is to use my MBA to teach at Bethel,” he says. “I want to give back to the school that has given me so many opportunities.”